Community Participation Addresses a Growing Infrastructure Challenge
Road infrastructure plays a critical role in supporting economic activity, public mobility, and access to essential services. However, many local roads experience pavement deterioration long before reaching their intended service life. Taebenu Road in Kupang City is one example, where potholes, surface ravelling, and pavement settlement have increased driving hazards and reduced transportation safety.
The researchers observed that the problem extends beyond physical road damage. Many residents lack the technical knowledge needed to identify different types of pavement failures or understand their underlying causes, such as poor drainage systems and excessive vehicle loads. As a result, temporary repairs often involve filling potholes with loose soil or gravel, which quickly washes away during rainfall or becomes displaced by traffic, leaving roads unsafe once again.
Recognizing this challenge, the research team collaborated with Karang Taruna, Indonesia's community youth organization, to introduce a more durable and practical emergency repair method that local communities could implement independently.
Practical Training Combined Classroom Learning with Field Experience
Rather than relying solely on lectures, the community service program combined technical education with direct field practice. The training began with interactive sessions explaining common types of road pavement damage, the factors contributing to road deterioration, and the construction principles behind the Lapen (Penetration Macadam) method.
Participants then moved to damaged sections of Taebenu Road, where they practiced every stage of emergency road repair under the supervision of lecturers from Kupang Technical Academy. The hands-on activities included:
- Cleaning damaged pavement areas from water, dust, and loose materials.
- Placing coarse aggregate as the primary foundation.
- Applying heated asphalt binder.
- Adding locking aggregate and manually compacting the surface.
- Finishing with a second asphalt layer and fine aggregate to create a stronger and more water-resistant pavement surface.
This practical approach enabled participants to directly apply engineering concepts instead of learning them only through theory.
Training Significantly Improved Community Skills
The program produced noticeable improvements in participants' understanding of road maintenance.
Before the training, many members of Karang Taruna believed that every damaged asphalt road required heavy construction equipment and government intervention. After completing both the classroom sessions and field exercises, participants were able to distinguish various types of pavement damage, identify the factors causing deterioration, and understand why conventional repairs using loose materials fail quickly.
More importantly, participants successfully completed emergency repairs using the Lapen method on several critical sections of Taebenu Road. The repaired surfaces became denser, more stable, more resistant to water infiltration, and better integrated with the surrounding pavement than conventional community repairs.
According to the project evaluation, local residents expressed strong enthusiasm throughout the training and reported that the techniques were practical, easy to understand, and applicable within their own neighborhoods. Minor challenges, such as managing asphalt temperature and coordinating group activities, were effectively addressed through continuous mentoring from the academic team.
A Model for Sustainable Community-Based Infrastructure Maintenance
The project demonstrates that infrastructure maintenance does not always require large-scale government intervention. By equipping local communities with practical engineering knowledge, emergency road repairs can be carried out more quickly while reducing risks to motorists and pedestrians.
The researchers also found that involving Karang Taruna strengthened community awareness and encouraged long-term responsibility for maintaining neighborhood infrastructure. Beyond improving road conditions, the initiative fostered technical self-reliance and promoted a culture of collaborative public service.
The findings suggest that similar partnerships between universities, local governments, and community organizations could be replicated in other regions facing road maintenance challenges. The authors further recommend regular training programs, broader community participation, and long-term monitoring of repaired pavement to evaluate the durability and cost-effectiveness of the Lapen method compared with alternative repair techniques.
Research Perspective
The authors from Kupang Technical Academy emphasize that practical education plays a vital role in empowering communities to protect public infrastructure. Their work shows that combining engineering expertise with community engagement can produce sustainable solutions that improve public safety while strengthening local capacity.
Rather than depending entirely on external intervention, communities can become active partners in preserving transportation infrastructure when they receive appropriate technical guidance and practical training.
Author Profile
Ari Esclesias Sinaga is a lecturer in the Diploma Program in Civil Engineering at Kupang Technical Academy (Akademi Teknik Kupang), Indonesia. He specializes in civil engineering, pavement technology, transportation infrastructure, and community-based engineering applications.
This publication was co-authored by Benny Tua Siahaan, Agnesius Tlonaen, Adveni Hesty Altisari Lada, Yeni Emilia, Charisal A. Manu, and I Made Suparta, who are also affiliated with Akademi Teknik Kupang and contribute expertise in civil engineering, road construction, and community service.
Source
Article Title: Road Damage Awareness and Emergency Repairs Using Lapen in Collaboration with Karang Taruna on Taebenu Road, Kupang City
Authors: Ari Esclesias Sinaga, Benny Tua Siahaan, Agnesius Tlonaen, Adveni Hesty Altisari Lada, Yeni Emilia, Charisal A. Manu, & I Made Suparta
Journal: Journal of Pancasila Community Service (Jurnal Pengabdian Pancasila/JPP)
Volume: 5, Issue: 2
Year: 2026
Pages: 101–108
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